Proof
by Norsehound
Summary: Post Serenity. The Tams decide to visit home.


Proof

Norsehound

Firefly - Joss Wheadon

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How long had it been?

The house was still the same at least, Simon wasn't at all that surprised- the Tams estate might be a little worn from age, more than perhaps Simon's father would like, he guessed... but still in the same prominent location here in Capital city.

Nearly a year ago he didn't think he'd ever see this place again. Not after setting foot on _Serenity_- not after having the box opened by the impulsive captain. Even earlier, he turned his back on this place when his father wouldn't listen.

And now, here he was.

"Nice place, "Kaylee said beside him as she nodded, "Real shiny."

Simon looked at her, mouth agape, and then looked back at the estate. "Yeah," He said.

Behind them was the mule, looking obviously out of place here in this high-class community. Until three months ago this kind of thing would have been impossible... until three months ago Simon and River were wanted fugitives by the alliance and the academy.

Now, as far as the alliance was concerned, they were 'no threat.'

So they were allowed to stand here before the Tams estate while the others were in town on business. Simon, River, and Kaylee.

"Hasn't changed," River observed as she brushed a stand of hair out of her face. Simon only nodded at his sister's statement and glanced at her. She held his gaze for a moment.

"Are you Okay?" He asked.

She closed her lips and nodded slowly. He had been asking her that question ever since Miranda… ever since she got her mind back. Ever since she was able to let that secret out.

"Well," Kaylee said as she stood beside the mule in her 'best outfit'- her jumpsuit on over that printed shirt, "We gonna knock or just…stand here…"

Simon looked at her and then at the door. It was the entrance through the security fence that, predictably, was locked with a code that only the Tams knew. Simon stepped up to the door lock and hesitated.

"Do you think father changed the code?" River asked.

Simon paused with his hand in front of the lock, then sighed, "…Let's find out…" He entered in the five digit combination needed to open the door.

The locks clicked and the door swung open. "Welcome home," The door chimed.

This caught Simon by surprise. River too, by the way she just stared at the door.

Kaylee broke them both out of the trance, asking, "Well, we going in or not?"

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The front door was the next challenge. Simon was fairly certain both his parents were home- both of their cars were there. Unless one of the family had passed away… Simon didn't think that was likely.

He reached up and pressed the doorbell. They could hear the chimes ringing inside as Simon stepped back. He swallowed, and looked to Kaylee. The mechanic of the beat-up Firefly just smiled at him.

"Nervous?" She asked.

He nodded slightly.

She took his hand saying, "Well, don't worry. Not the first time I met a boyfriend's parents."

River was smiling.

The door opened, and all three looked up.

Chinese curses emerged from the man, Mr. Tam, standing in the doorframe.

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Mrs. Tam wouldn't hear of it. She admitted them at once.

Simon was grateful at first to know that the home was still there and his parents were fine- apparently they were not approached by the authorities during the younger Tam's exploits. Still, this was only a face-value assumption.

At first the older Tams behaved as if nothing was wrong- as if this was some great homecoming. Simon's mother was acting that way at least, but Simon could sense some underlying tragedy somewhere in their speech. They weren't saying what they want to...obviously, since this was the decorum of the core worlds.

The first sign of trouble wasn't even five minutes in. After his father's shock reaction to seeing a one-time fugitive at the door, his mother appeared seconds later to salvage the situation. Recognizing River, she approached the girl and embraced her heartily, saying how much she'd grown and changed. Mr. Tam was staring at her, and then at Simon, who just stared back in the same stare the two had when Simon was extracted from the law nearly a year ago.

"Come inside, please," Mrs. Tam said, ignoring the ludicrous example of frank transport parked outside their front lawn. She handled River as she welcomed them into the house, Mr. Tam just stepped aside.

"Oh," Mrs. Tam said as she noticed the newcomer, "Simon, who is this?"

"Oh uh… this is Kaylee..." Simon introduced then corrected himself as Kaylee smiled and stared at him with that expression, "My uh…um…girlfriend…Kaylee."

He didn't want to say fiancée for a number of reasons. The first was that he was still thinking about the proposal. Second was that he wasn't sure what Kaylee would think. Third was that, well, he wasn't sure how his parents would react. He could detect his fathers' thoughts and feelings on the matter already. Still, Kaylee was important in his life now, and certainly more significant than 'friend.'

He didn't want to repeat his earlier mistakes.

"Oh," Smiled Mrs. Tam as she extended her hand, "Pleased to have your acquaintance."

"No problem," Kaylee replied happily and took the hand to shake it. Simon didn't think her response was wrong, but he was feeling the silent disapproval from his father and even his mother. Well, he thought, at least he got Kaylee to clean herself up and make herself somewhat presentable.

"Please, come sit down," Mrs. Tam said, moving on, "I'll get refreshments…"

The Tams plus one moved into the living room. Simon paused for a fraction of a second as the memory hit him. The time long ago, When River was around the chairs speaking of the Independents using Dinosaurs. That conjured up two memories; the first being his time as a captive in that backwater town- where they would have burned River for her…talents…. The second was the dinosaurs littering the bridge of Serenity… and Wash. Good friends…

Kaylee sat beside Simon and looked around at the decorations while keeping her hands to herself. Was this the common area on Serenity, she would have her feet up on Simon's lap, or already be showing some form of affection. This wasn't permissible in the core worlds really, per public decency rules, and if it wasn't common law then it was law of the Tam estate.

River sat down in a separate seat while Mr. Tam sat opposite of Simon. Conversation didn't start immediately- there were too many dangerous topics that could ignite the situation. So Mr. Tam started off with, "So… where did you two meet?"

Simon and Kaylee exchanged glances, then looked back to Mr. Tam as Simon replied, "We uh met on a ship."

"Really," Replied Mr. Tam in an impressive tone, though Simon couldn't tell if it was genuine surprise or sarcasm in his father's voice.

"It was a nice ship," River said, breaking into a smile, "Small and cozy… warm…"

"I see," Mr. Tam said, "You were with Simon then, River?"

River nodded, and looked over to Simon as she broke into a smile. "I was a little late getting there but… yeah."

"I see." Mr. Tam said.

The situation seemed to be entering dangerous territory when Mrs. Tam arrived with snacks. "I brought some tea and biscuits… I hope you like them," She said to Kaylee.

"Oh I'm fine," Kaylee replied with a smile as she reached forward to grab one of the small cakes. She giggled silently as she munched on it with adoration of the richness of core world food. Simon exchanged a deadly glance with his father.

"So," Started Mrs. Tam as she poured herself some tea, "It's been a long while since we've heard from you two…" she picked up her cup and saucer. She looked to River, "How was your time at the Academy, River? We didn't hear the graduation notice…."

It suddenly hit Simon. He now had a picture of just what kind of box his parents were in- what kind of situation they were seeing the world. Simon exchanged a glance with his sister, who was clearly uncomfortable with the idea.

"Or," Mrs. Tam said, "Has something happened…? We haven't heard from…either of you for a while… Your father and I were starting to wonder…" She trailed off.

Simon looked at his parents with that agape stare of surprise- something he would have reserved for the trained man-ape called Jayne.

After a second's hesitation Simon exchanged glances with his sister, before looked back at his parents.

"Hmm…" Kaylee suddenly said, breaking the tension, "These are real good."

Silence again for a moment as Simon stared at his father, then his mother.

He folded his hands and looked down with his eyes still wide with disbelief , "Um…Mother, father… I'm going to put this as delicately as I can…." He hesitated, looking for the words.

River cut the explanation to two words: "It's true."

Both the older Tams looked at their daughter. Mr. Tam uttered something in Chinese, then asked, "What is this, girl?"

"It's true," River said, nodding, "You were thinking about what Simon told you, about the letters. He was right."

Emotion stirred beneath the faces of the parental Tams, Simon could see it. They looked at one another and played the typical core world card of denial, "River I…" Mrs. Tam said, "I don't know what you're-"

"Yes you do," River said as she adjusted her seat, "You're just pretending you don't. Father has an idea."

Mrs. Tam looked to Mr. Tam, who was staring at Simon.

Simon stared back.

"What is this-" Mrs. Tam said, then looked at Simon, "This is about that night, isn't it?"

Simon shrugged.

"Young man," Mr. Tam said, "You have caused your mother and I a lot of worry over the past year." He shifted his head, "We've had the law call on us wondering where the two of you were. They searched the house. We weren't given an explanation."

"We thought something bad had happened to you two," Mrs. Tam said.

"It did." Simon admitted, frankly, "But we…. Found some help."

"Where?" Mr. Tam asked with hidden rage in his voice, "In the Blackout zones?"

"Dear-" Mrs. Tam said.

Simon interrupted, "Perhaps I should give you the data stem I took of River's brain, some months ago. Would you like to see it, Dad? What they did to River's brain at the academy? It's real revealing-"

"Simon," Mrs. Tam said, "What are you talking about?"

Simon just nodded while Kaylee reached forward for another cake. "I knew you wouldn't understand." He said.

"What am I supposed to be understanding?" Mrs. Tam asked, "Simon- what have you gotten River into?"

"It's not his fault," River said, staring at her father, "It's yours."

"What is this?" Demanded Mr. Tam.

"I called for help and Simon was the only one to listen." Said River, "You didn't do anything. You didn't believe him."

"Honey," Mrs. Tam said, "It was all just-"

"No!" Declared River, sitting up sharply, "It wasn't games! If only I could _show_ you…" She stared at her parents and shook her head, "But then you'd never believe me!"

"River…" Simon toned.

River turned to Simon, saying, "You sacrificed everything to help me Simon…" She looked at her parents, "He was the only one… who listened."

Mrs. Tam toned in Chinese softly, then said, "You know if you were in trouble we'd do everything we could to-"

"No you didn't!" River shot back, "You didn't do anything! You were deaf! You're both Deaf!"

"Calm yourself!" Boomed Mr. Tam, "I won't hear this kind of talk in my household."

"The truth?" Simon said.

Mr. Tam glared hard at his son, "I told you not to be Flippant with-"

"It's True." Simon thundered as best as he could, "Open your eyes, both of you." He looked to his mother, then back at his father, "Do you know why the authorities searched this house? Did you know why you were questioned? Did you even care?"

Silence, from both of them.

"You told me I was on my own." Simon said to his father.

The older Tam didn't budge.

Simon nodded slowly, then said, "I can see now the finality behind that statement." He looked at one of the pictures hanging on the wall- the family photo placed sometime in the distant past when all four of them were once family, "It was a mistake to come back."

Kaylee listened, having long ceased munching on the cake. She had been listening quietly as the tensions flared around her, wishing there was something she could do to mend this rift Unfortunately now, she was seeing no way she could be of any help.

The older Tams stared at their son, who had become the problem child ever since River had been sent to the academy to learn.

"Yes," Mr. Tam said, "Maybe it was."

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It was perhaps the shortest stay ever at the house he grew up in. Simon was out the door without a goodbye from his parents, River some steps beside him and Kaylee holding Simon's hand and waving goodbye. "Thanks for the cake!" She called.

The Tams in the door didn't say anything.

There was nothing of River's or Simon's left in the house. It was all confiscated when the Alliance hit the place. Simon was going over the conversation as he walked down the path to the parked Mule. They passed the gate, and here Simon paused to look up again at the house.

"They knew," River said.

Simon looked at her to see his sister also staring at the parents in the door.

"What?" he asked.

"They know." River replied and turned her head to look at Simon, "They just can't bring themselves to accept it."

Kaylee picked the slip attached to the hood of the Mule and looked it over. "What's this? Public Decency fine?"

Simon mounted the Mule as river sat in back. Kaylee continued complaining as she took her seat and belted in, "I don't believe this! We're being fined for disrupting public serenity and displaying indecent design? I don't believe this!"

The tams were quiet. They finished belting in and Simon started the mule. He looked over at the door where his parents were standing- only to see that door closed.

"Time to go." Said River.

Simon nodded, started up the mule, and drove for home.

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Inspired by the flashbacks from "Safe". Hope it was enjoyable.


End file.
